Long Post: Lots of research led me from a 2015 RDX to a 2015 Edge Sport!

[jermankidd]

I have owned lots of vehicles in my lifetime (mostly used: Lexus, Toyota, BMW, Honda and Acura), and I just bought my first new car in over a decade... A 2015 Ford Edge Sport!

My journey started last fall, when I decided to go from a 2 car set to just one. I had owned a 2008 BMW 335i convertible and a 2004 Honda Element AWD. I bought both of these vehicles used 4 years ago to replace a wonderful Dodge Ram Pick up (Sport) and a Touring BMW motorcycle that I had. Each served me well and were also purchased used. Having both the BMW convertible and the Element in the DC area worked well for my daily needs but each were getting a bit up there in age and miles. A pending 2 week December holiday road trip to Florida, Atlanta and then back to DC, sparked my decision to sell, since neither the Element nor the convertible would be comfortable for a 3000+ mile extended trip.

I have always been a car guy and am always reading the various car mags and e-blogs to see what my next "used" car purchase should be. I am often asked by friends and family alike to help them with selecting their next vehicle and ultimately with the negotiations. After selling the BMW/Honda Element, my research led me to a gently used 2015 fully loaded Acura RDX (AWD w/Tech package). I bought this vehicle at a Volvo dealership with just over 900 miles on the odometer. I was told that this was a trade for a larger XC90. Since the 2016 RDX is a "mid cycle" refresh, the left over new 2015 RDX's were unusually heavily discounted. I used that information to negotiate my like new "used" RDX down to $33,500. That was from a MSRP of just over $41,000. A similar brand new "leftover" 2015 would have been discounted down to $36,000 (including freight).

My new RDX was mostly what I was looking for... Easy to drive, quick- fuel efficient V6 and a fairly quiet easy driving road car with almost 3 years and 9 months of full warranty left. The car's "premium" stereo wasn't quite as nice as my BMW's Logic 7 but was still sounded great. The 18 inch wheels soaked up most bumps and the ride quality was definitely much better than the Element. My 2 main RDX issues were a 10 cubic feet loss of cargo room to the Element and an ever frustrating experience using the car's tech (particularly, the Nav system). 2 other minor quibbles was the occasional "thud" sound that the RDX's rear suspension made, after going over moderate bumps. I had already discovered this as an issue in my research but knew that Acura was working on a wholesale fix (The 2016 apparently fixed this issue). The other was the manufacturer's "suggestion" that one use "premium" fuel, something that one tank of 89 octane proved to be "required" (by my experience).

I had just helped another friend research and ultimately choose a 2015 Honda CRV (interestingly it shares its underpinnings with the RDX but it has alot more cargo capacity but not nearly as quiet) and had just started helping a family member research buying a mid sized SUV, when we stumbled onto the Edge. The Nissan Murano, Toyota's outgoing Venza, and Subaru Outback made the initial cut as they were also very good values (my cousin was looking for a NEW car), after test driving the KIA/Hyundai SUVs seemed not quite up to either of our test driving standards.

We then stumbled onto the Edge and after a test drive, decided that it was the best!

So after some additional research and learning about one of our local dealerships was having an end of 2015 "blowout" sale on a left over Edge Sport, the plot was set. I then contacted the General Manager directly and confirmed that their "loss leader" was indeed almost 20% ($9000 off) of the nearly $46K MSRP. I then told him that I would "make him the easiest sale all month". An hour of onsite negotiations yielded me $33,000 for my now 4 month old (to me) RDX in trade resulting me in me buying my first ever Ford, An Electric Spice (Orange) Edge Sport. The vehicle has every option except the 21 inch wheels (the 20's are sporty enough w/o too much sacrifice to the ride quality) and the standard cruise (not the radar cruise control). The Sport came with Nav, Park assist and Lane departure and a the huge Panoramic Roof option.

So now I'm back from my long trip with the following thoughts and observations...

Advantage RDX over Edge:

Acura warranty is 4/50k vs Fords 3/36k.

Loaner car program at Acura vs none at Ford.

The Acura steering wheel is thicker and overall road handling feels slightly better. It appears that ground clearance is a bit high that the Edge Sport.

Easy to add Hidden Hitch on RDX to carry my bike rack or other Hitch accessories. Only cost me $150 for the hitch and install at a local hitch shop.

The Sport Edge (unlike the Titanium, SEL, etc...) does not have an easy install Hitch option. My research shows that I may be able to add a similar "hidden" hitch with some slight mods to the rear bumper and exhaust. Not sure just yet what the cost will be.

Better resale. See above for trade info

Advantage Edge over RDX:

Huge Panoramic sunroof over the tiny conventional RDX roof unit.

Despite the EPA rating, at 70mph the Edge averaged 28-29 mpg on the highway vs about 30 on the RDX. BUT this is on regular gas which is 25 to 60 cents cheaper than premium that the RDX requires.

Ride: The RDX is quiet but the Edge Sport is considerably more quiet. I'd call it "tomb like" - especially above 70 mph. It was even quieter than a low mileage used 2013 RX350 Lexus. I was surprised since the RDX uses 18 inch Michelin tires vs 20 inch Hankooks on the Edge. I wonder if switching to Michelins would net an even quieter ride.

Luxury/comfort features: The RDX features heated front seats but the Edge Sport trumps that with heated front AND rear seats plus the fronts are cooled as well. The rear Edge seats also recline (these are fixed in the RDX). The Edge rear seat area also have their own rear vents, 12volt port AND a 120 volt household style plug. Overall, the seats in the Edge were all around much better (especially lumbar) for longer trips.

I'd call the RDX premium sound system and Edge's Sony premium sound quality a TIE...

Tech: RDX navigation is a pain in the a$$! The Edge's older Sync (for me) was much more intuitive plus offered more features. It even reads your text messages aloud, while driving! Bluetooth calls were much clearer at highway speeds on the Edge. Edge self parks in both parallel and perpendicular spaces plus has great sonar sensors (all around) and a much better back up camera along with a front camera that allows you to "peek" to your right and left as you pull out of tight spaces. Did I also mention that the Edge has Lane keeping assist that steers you in the lane? The 2015 RDX doesn't offer any of those features (The 2016 RDX cures some of those missing features but not all).

The Edge Sport's 2.7 turbo 6 is much quicker, but the RDX 3.5 non turbo was more than adequate. The Edge rear cargo area is considerably larger with the rear seats up or down. The RDX rear seats do fold a little flatter than the Edge's, but I'm nit-picking.

I've owned BMW, Lexus, Honda, Toyota and obviously Acura. The Edge is hands down (so far) my most favorite vehicle. The fit and finish of the interior is similar to the RDX but the seats are much more comfy.

Only time will tell, if reliability will hold up like my 2004 Honda Element that I just sold.

I'll update this post as I time permits.

Good Luck to all my fellow Edge owners!

P.S.

My cousin ended up finding a fantastic deal on a lightly used fully loaded Titanium 2013 Ford Escape (AWD) with the 2.0 turbo. He paid around $22,500.

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Welcome to the forum, nice review & comparo! Good deal on the tradein too! I think with the 2015 MY, Ford has finally put the Edge in the upper echelons of its' niche, and the 2016 MY goldplates it with Sync3. Hope you enjoy the Edge for quite some time to come! How about some pics of your rides (past & present) when you get a chance?